Bruno Mega defends traditional fado with the album 'A Vida Paga'

The opening theme, 'Menino de Saudade', a lyric by Acácio Barbosa, which he interprets to the melody of Fado Cravo, by Alfredo Marceneiro, sums up the singer's life "in a fado", the fado singer said in statements to the Lusa news agency.

In addition to these unreleased songs, Bruno Mega recorded other songs such as 'Sun of Your Gaze' (Jorge Ataíde), 'I Want to Live With You' (Miguel Coelho Ramos), 'My Light, My Paradise' (José Patrício/Fado Maria Rita, by Armando Machado), 'Memories of My Past' (José Patrício/Fado Oliveira, by Arménio de Melo) and 'Nobody Belongs to Anyone' (João Alberto/Joaquim Campos da Silva).

For Bruno Mega, this album is "a defense of traditional fado," the fado singer says: "Nowadays there is a lot of mixing, a lot of connection -- which is not bad, it is not bad, I don't judge -, there is a lot of connection between fado and other musical styles, but I think that traditional fado has to remain in the spotlight."

The album's lineup also includes the recreation of songs such as 'Entrega' (Pedro Homem de Mello/Carlos Gonçalves), a creation by Amália Rodrigues, 'Lamentos' (Domingos Gonçalves da Costa/Maximiano de Sousa) and 'Noite' (Vasco de Lima Couto/M. de Sousa), creations by Max, which other fado singers have also recorded.

The choice of Max came naturally, as his grandfather was "the greatest friend" of the Madeiran singer and composer.

Regarding the album's tracklist, Bruno Mega said that "it was more imagined by his colleagues and [his] wife than by himself."

Max (1918-1980) is one of Bruno Mega's reference voices, as well as Fernando Maurício (1933-2003), Marina Mota and Lenita Gentil.

Son of fado singer Fernando Mega, Bruno began singing at the age of 14, taking a ten-year break at the age of 30.

He got married, moved to Ericeira, on the outskirts of Lisbon, and moved away "a bit from fado", to now return with a second album, which follows 'Sonho Realizado' (2013).

Currently, the singer is part of the cast of the fado house Tasquinha Canto do Fado, in Lisbon, and defines himself as "a man of dreams, fixed ideas and goals".

"Fado, nowadays, is my life, it was something I gave up a few years ago, but I shouldn't have done it," he told Lusa.

When asked about the album's title, 'A Vida Paga', Bruno Mega stated: "Now that I'm 40, if we're true to ourselves, if we do things well, with humility, with truth, with kindness, I think that sooner or later 'life pays', that's what I usually say to myself."

The fado singer states that the fado world "is difficult", but believes that "there is room for everyone".

"Fado is a competitive field, but I don't want to step on anyone's toes. It's a small field; if there are 300 people singing and playing fado, that's a lot. It's a very competitive field, and unfortunately, people always want to step on each other," he told Lusa, adding: "If we act humbly here, we'll achieve the goals we've set."

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